Apparently the owners think we do.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

I am fairly sure it was a way of reducing the overall tax bill for the football club. The rent on the office is an operating cost and bonus will be tax deductable. SP will have had to have paid tax on his bonus but will have been given a tax credit for the investment. Smoke and Mirrors is a seperate legal entity so its tax and financial affairs are seperate. Without looking at it filed documents you can never be sure but it is possible it makes loans to club at a preferential rate.

Before certain posters who lack the professional expertise say this is a guess. These are legal means as are those I suggested were possible in contract law in another thread.

Totally agree with you ME. By the way I was aware he is a Brighton fan and was, actually, surprised that it was not critical of the club and its finances

Sakho’s gone? (Joke)

We have to get a central mid though, and if we don’t then Dougie job half done won’t have done his job.

COYP

What an interesting video, thanks for posting it.

All seems to add up to what a lot of us felt, and what SP has been saying: We have paid the going rate to build a genuine premier league team (as opposed to some journeymen who got lucky for a year) and as a result are having the longest day in the sun in CPFC's 113 year history. No small thing that, especially given the shocking state of the club when SP and co took it on.

To achieve this however, we have all but maxed out on wages and transfers, and now something has to give. Best routes seem to be:

1. Increase incoming revenue through commercial stuff (done, and done well according to the video).

2. Increase incoming revenue through stadium expansion (doing, and so far looking very good).

3. Sell players as well, or better, than we buy them (so far only Bolasie has gone for big bucks whilst in his prime - perhaps accept bids for Townsend or PVA, guys we'd like to keep but could improve upon or replace in-house?).

4. (And to me this is the big one) Get full value from the existing investments. Benteke, Cabeye, Sakho and Townsend are exactly the type of minimal upgrade on the promotion players that cost significantly higher wages. All have class and ability but have ranged from good to OK to disappointing in performance level in return for that massive outlay. Compare this to Zaha, Luka and even now Wan-Bissaka, who have performed excellently and fully earned their wages, including increases.

Getting performances is tricky of course, these are human beings susceptible to loss of confidence and form no matter what money they are on, but we’ve put our eggs in these baskets and have to make the best of it.

5. Have a cheaper squad. The academy is there for a reason. It’s highly unlikely that the likes of Kirby, Lokilo, Dreher or O’Dwyer would be an instant upgrade on Townsend, Kelly, Sorloth or Schlupp, but they might not be very much worse, might ultimately be as good or better, and would certainly be cheaper. Roy favours experience and seniority, but if the club deliberately leave gaps in the squad for the youngsters then he will have to work with them.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (19 Jul 2018 1.20pm)

Or he may just walk. I know that's never happened before, but.....

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)